Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	corruption_n	flesh_n	sow_v	5,273	5	10.3024	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61587	Protestant charity a sermon preached at S. Sepulchres Church, on Tuesday in Easter week, A. D. MDCLXXXI / by Edward Stillingfleet ...	Stillingfleet, Edward, 1635-1699.	1681 (1681)	Wing S5622; ESTC R8099	23,524	56

own honour which the evil reports of the false Apostles made necessary and argued with great strength and conviction against the imposers of the Law he betakes himself to the inforcing the practice of the general and necessary Duties of Christianity upon these Galatians If they had such a mind to keep the Law All the Law saith he is fulfilled in one word even in this Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self It was a vain and foolish thing for them to contend about keeping the Law who did overthrow the main design of it by their heats and animosities against each other which instead of preserving the honour of the Law was the certain way to destroy one another But if ye bite and devour one another take heed that ye be not consumed one of another From hence he shews that hatred variance emulations wrath strife seditions heresies are as much the lusts of the flesh as adultery fornication murther drunkenness revellings and such like and as destructive to mens Salvation of the which saith he I tell you before as I have also told you in time past that they which doe such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God And they that are true Christians must crucifie the flesh with all these affections and lusts thereof such as vain-glory love of contention envying the reputation of others Let us not be desirous of vain-glory provoking one another envying one another But the Apostle did not think the design of the Law or the obligation of Christianity was satisfied with abstaining from doing injuries to others therefore he proceeds to tell them what exercise of tenderness compassion and readiness to doe good to others were expected from them by the Law of Christ. 1. If a man through the frailty of humane Nature or the sudden surprise of a Temptation be overtaken in a fault do not saith he trample upon him nor insult over him but endeavour with the spirit of meekness to recover him from his fall considering that we carry about us the same load of flesh and are exposed to continual Temptations our salves 2. If we see others groaning under the heavy burthen of their own infirmities or the pressures and calamities of the world do not add more weight to their afflictions but put your own shoulders under to bear a part with them to make their burthen more easie to them for herein lies a great deal of that duty which Christ hath laid on all his Disciples Bear ye one anothers burthens and so fulfill the Law of Christ. 3. If it be impossible for men to attend the service of your Souls and the affairs of this World together never grudge nor repine at the exercise of your kindness and liberality towards your spiritual Teachers v. 6. Let him that is taught in the word communicate to him that teacheth in all good things Which instances being mention'd the Apostle subjoins two things 1. A general Proposition viz. That every man shall receive in another World according to the good that he doth in this Be not deceived God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap For he that soweth to his flesh shall of his flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting i. e. He that looks onely after his present advantage in this world and dares not venture to doe any thing out of hopes of recompence for it in another life he is said to sow to his flesh but he that is good and charitable and kind to others without hopes of any other advantage than what God will give him for it is said to sow to the spirit the Flesh and Spirit being opposed as the two Centres of the different worlds the great thing to which all things tend in this world being something carnal or that relates to the Flesh and the great principle of another world being wholly spiritual And these two Flesh and Spirit are placed as two Loadstones drawing our hearts several ways the one is much stronger but at a greater distance the other hath less force in it self but is much nearer to us by which means it draws more powerfully the hearts that are already touched with a strong inclination to it But the Apostle useth the similitude of two Fields wherein the product of the Seed answers to the nature of the Soil so he that sowes to the flesh i. e. that minds onely his present interest in this world his harvest shall be proportionable to his seed he may reap advantages to himself in this world sutable to his pains and industry but the utmost this world can yield is but of a short continuance being of a temporary transient corruptible nature he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the spirit i. e. hath so great a regard to the rewards of another life that he is willing to let go a present enjoyment and bury it under ground casting it in as seed into the earth in hopes of a future resurrection however he may be condemned as a weak and improvident man by the men of this world yet as certain as there is a life everlasting to come so certainly shall all his good deeds yield an abundant increase and meet with a glorious recompence then if there be no corrupt mixture in the sowing which may spoil the virtue of the seed for he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting And let not men deceive themselves if they look onely at themselves and the things of this world let their pretences be never so spiritual if they dare not doe acts of Charity so as to trust God for a reward they do but sow to the flesh and though the world may be cheated and men may sometimes deceive themselves yet God cannot be mocked he knows the hearts and intentions and secret designs of men and according to them their reward shall be for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he reap This I take to be the natural and genuine meaning of the Apostle in those words 2. A particular Exhortation not to be discouraged in well doing which is the same with sowing to the spirit before and with doing good in the following verse both which are to be understood of the Works of Charity and therefore we ought to take it in that sense here These are especially called good Works in the New Testament Dorcas is said to be a Woman full of good Works and Alms-deeds which she did The Widow that was to be taken into Office in the Church must be well reported of for good Works and these presently follow the bringing up children the lodging strangers washing the Saints feet and relieving the afflicted In the Epistle to Titus Saint Paul gives him a strict charge that he deliver it with great assurance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉